Changing Lanes 7 of 52
by Echowarrior
Summary: A battle in Indianapolis leads to the restoration of a MiniCon weapon and a new ally for Starscream.
1. Chapter 1

Changing Lanes

A Transformers: Armada Story

By William Rendfeld

"You're sure you're okay?" Sparkplug asked his companion. "After what you've been through, it's perfectly alright to..."

"Sparkplug, I appreciate your concern," Longarm replied. "But Red's given me a clean bill of health. I'm perfectly fine, and perfectly capable of getting around on my own."

"Still..." Sparkplug noted, before noticing an odd laughing sound. "What was that?"

The two Mini-Cons made their way over to the _Ark_'s main computer bay as Longarm noted, "It sounded like Jolt laughing his head off over something."

"But what could be that amusing?" Sparkplug asked as they entered.

Within, Jolt was laughing out loud to himself, a brightly-colored picture displayed on the screen in front of him. Upon noticing his company, the red Mini-Con attempted to calm himself down and said, "Hey guys. What's up?"

"We were hoping you could tell us," Sparkplug replied. "What's this?"

"The last time the kids were here, Carlos pointed me towards these things on the human computer network called 'web-comics'," Jolt explained. "I've been looking at some of them, and they're kinda funny. Granted, a lot of the jokes went right over my head, but that's probably a cultural thing."

The other two Mini-Cons looked at their friend in disbelief. "Web-comic," Longarm repeated.

"Yeah," Jolt replied. "What, is there something wrong about me trying to immerse myself in human culture?"

"I don't think this entirely qualifies," Sparkplug replied. He looked at the screen and asked, "And why is that tall human wearing that thing on his neck?"

"I think it's part of the stereotype," Jolt explained. "He's British, and they seem to have a reputation for being stuffy."

Sparkplug shook his head, then replied, "Okay, if you want to look at these things in your spare time, fine, do it. But the instant these things get in the way of your work, we're blocking them. Clear?"

"As crystal," Jolt replied. Noting Sparkplug's curious look, he explained, "That means 'yes'."

Longarm shook his head, and noted, "And you think I may need help."

* * *

The loud screech of a whistle quickly got the attention of the gathered students.

"Everyone, listen up!" Diana Masters cried out to her numerous charges. "As all of you should be aware, this long, arduous trip is a privilege, not a right. If there is any misbehavior of any kind during this trip, not only will we go immediately home, but all of you will have a note placed in the office. You are to follow the instructions of myself, Mister Davidson, and your chaperones. You are not to leave the hotel for any reason, save a medical emergency. Am I clear?"

A chorus of voices rose up, confirming what had been relayed to them.

"Excellent," Diana replied. "Now then, all of you had better get settled into your rooms; we've got a long day tomorrow, and you'll all want to be well-rested before the highlight of the trip."

The gathered students broke up into groups, and slowly made their way through the throngs of people up to their hotel rooms. The students of Diana Masters's ninth grade Social Studies class, coupled with two teachers and four chaperones, had come all the way by special arrangement with the school to Indianapolis, Indiana, for the US Grand Prix, a yearly racing event that attracted millions to the city each year.

"Man can you believe it?" Rad asked of his two friends. "All the way to the racing capitol of the world, just for a field trip!"

"Don't get too excited," Alexis reminded him. "Stuff like this costs money, and we probably won't be getting another trip like this for a long time."

"C'mon, Alexis, have a little fun," Carlos chided her. "Besides, it's not like that's worth worrying about. A big trip like this is worth a little sacrifice, right?"

"I'm not saying it isn't," Alexis reminded them as they neared the 'boys' floor'. "I'm just making sure you two don't get too over-eager about things." Making sure no one was listening in, she asked, "By the way, you didn't bring along any uninvited guests, did you?"

"Are you loco?" Carlos asked. "Of course not; we know that's too much of a risk."

"Besides, they wouldn't fit in the luggage," Rad noted.

"Or get past airport security," Carlos added.

"You'd better be clear on that," Diana noted as she walked up to meet her students. "They need as little attention as possible. And this trip definitely doesn't need all the chaos they could cause." She leaned close and reminded the three, "But be careful anyway, okay? We don't need any more problems, Transformer-related or not."

"Got it loud and clear, Miss Masters," Rad assured her as the boys walked off to their rooms.

Alexis sighed, and noted, "I worry about them."

"Boys are boys, easily excitable," Diana assured her student. "But they'll grow out of it. In time."

"I hope," Alexis replied as they continued up the stairs.

Unseen by the throngs of people within the hotel, he waited and watched. All of these people nearby meant they may be found all too quickly, and no one among them wanted that. Stealth was paramount right now. But what those four humans had said intrigued him; how did they know about Transformers?

He may just have to find out for himself.

* * *

"Latest wire's come in from Cybertron," Smokescreen reported. "Jetfire's called a meeting with the colonial governments, the High Council, everyone. Something's got him worried."

"I can hardly blame him," Optimus Prime noted. "Mini-Con pod readings have been increasing since we arrived, and it's only a matter of time before something else happens."

"Not much we can do about that, is there?" Smokescreen replied. "I mean, we don't exactly have the resources to do that much, do we?"

"No," Optimus noted. "But we can't sit back and watch either. Tell Scavenger that I want to see Hot Shot, Blurr and Jolt here immediately."

"Got it," Smokescreen replied. "Any reason why?"

Optimus remained silent for a minute, then said, "Call it a hunch."

* * *

"Starscream, you still with me?"

"Yes, Demolishor," Starscream assured his fellow Decepticon. "I'm still listening, don't worry."

"You seem to be out of it a lot lately," Demolishor noted. "I mean, nothing personal, but it's like your body's here, but your processor's somewhere else."

"I've had a lot on my mind," Starscream admitted. "But go ahead, continue with your thoughts."

"I've just really been impressed with them, is all," Demolishor noted. "They aren't perfect, mind, but they're really impressive. I've even half-considered bringing up some of Wreckage's tactical thoughts with Megatron."

"I wouldn't bother," Starscream noted. "Megatron is hardly the type of leader to enjoy suggestions from his subordinates about any given situation, especially if they come from someone he considers beneath him. And to him, all Mini-Cons are beneath him."

"Then should I go ahead and forget about them?" Demolishor asked. "I mean, he knows what he's doing."

"I never said that," Starscream replied. "Keep them to yourself, and out of public conversation. Use them if you like. Just be warned; stealth is the most important thing with this mission. We're walking a very fine wire; any misstep could end up with all of us deactivated, or worse."

The door nearest to them slid open, and a voice greeted them, "Starscream, excellent. I've an assignment for you. Thrust reports strange activity on Earth; unusual levels of Energon in a human city. We're to investigate, immediately."

"Are you certain, Megatron?" Starscream asked. "Thrust has a tendency to be...over-excitable."

"I feel that this is more than worth a proper examination," Megatron replied. "Have everyone recharged and loaded. We're going hunting."

* * *

"Yes, Kelly, everything's fine over here," Diana assured her friend over the phone. "Now, you are remembering to keep Abby well-fed, right?" After a brief pause, she noted, "Kelly, she's a cat. They're very picky, that's how they work. Just give her some of the wet food instead of the dry; she'll eat it up in a second." She smiled and noted, "Yes, she'll be okay. Just make sure she doesn't get seriously maimed or anything. All right, take care." She set the phone down, and sat on the bed, slightly exhausted from the trip. "I wish this state would make up its mind about daylight savings time." She slumped onto the bed, her arms stretched out, and took a deep breath.

Just out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something. An odd distortion in the air, as if something that was there, yet unseen, was moving. Before everything that had happened in the last few weeks, Diana would've thought she was just seeing things. Now, however, the notion that something invisible was watching her seemed far more likely.

"It's alright," she said, rising to a sitting position. "If you're there, come into view. I'm not going to hurt you."

A voice answered, "I didn't think you could," and a form shimmered into view.

He was obviously a Transformer, that much Diana could tell. He was a little taller than she was, with broad shoulders and sleek, glistening armor colored yellow and deep gray, a medium red drawing attention to his faceplate.

"My apologies for sneaking in uninvited," the Transformer noted, somewhat nervously. "But I overheard you discussing something with your young charges, and I thought it was probably worth it to speak to you, Miss Masters."

"You've got me at a disadvantage," Diana replied.

"Mirage," the Transformer said, introducing himself. "I'm sorry if I startled you."

"No, it's alright," Diana admitted. "I knew Transformers possessed cloaking technology, I just didn't know it could be so compact."

"Only with me, and I don't quite know why," Mirage replied. "But you have met other Transformers, yes? Other Mini-Cons?"

"Yes," Diana admitted. "And Autobots. And I've seen Decepticons, but haven't spoken to one personally."

Mirage turned away and noted, "So they have come. We should've expected it after we woke up. How many?"

"Six Autobots, including Optimus Prime," Diana replied. "And five Decepticons. And from what I've seen, they aren't too reasonable."

"Thank you," Mirage noted. "This changes things considerably."

The Mini-Con was about to turn away and activate his cloak, only to be distracted by Diana asking, "Where are you going?"

"We can't fight them," Mirage replied. "And if we do, this place will only become a battlefield. I'd rather not see that happen, especially not here. My group's only option is to run."

"Run where?" Diana asked. "I've read more about history than I can remember, and heard even more. Running away was never the answer, not once. The best hope you have is to stand up and deal with what comes, not avoid it. If you have to run and hide, then fine, but remember; that kind of luck doesn't last forever."

Mirage remained silent for a moment, then noted, "I'll think about it," before fading out of sight.

* * *

"You mean humans actually have proper races like we've got back home?" Hot Shot asked. "And this city's famous for them?"

"So I've heard," Jolt reported as they readied themselves. "Humans have been racing each other on various vehicles for ages, from horse-pulled carts to cars almost as fast as Autobots. Nothing like on Velocitron, or even Cybertron, but it's impressive nonetheless."

"Don't get too excited, Hot Shot," Blurr reminded his teammate as he checked the energy charge on his gun. "We have a mission, remember that."

"I'm clear on that, Blurr, don't worry," Hot Shot assured him as Optimus Prime entered the weapons room.

"Glad to see both of you are aware of what's going on," Optimus noted as the three stood at attention. "You both know that stealth is most important at this point; the area will be filled with humans, and we need as little attention as possible. Don't do anything unless absolutely necessary, is that clear?"

"Understood," Hot Shot replied.

"Good," Optimus affirmed. "Autobots, roll out."

* * *

"So the 'Bots and 'Cons are here," Dirt Boss noted dismissively. "Not like that matters. We can out-run 'em and out-fight 'em if we have to."

"Yeah," Zapmaster asserted. "Let 'em come."

"I don't know," Mirage noted. "There's more to this than just us. There are people around here who don't stand a chance if the Decepticons attack. And even if the Autobots show up, there'll still be collateral damage."

"Mirage, buddy," Swindle shmoozed, "don't worry about it. I mean, it's not our problem, is it? 'Sides, I bet we can keep the 'Cons off our backs with the right incentive."

"Not everyone has a price, Swindle," Incinerator reminded him, his right arm resting somewhat awkwardly against the wall. "And I doubt the Decepticons are too willing to negotiate. We have to do something if they show up."

"That's if they do show up," Downshift chided the younger Mini-Con. "No need to panic yet, kid. Just wait and see."

* * *

Night settled quietly over the city of Indianapolis as people continued to commute back and forth, the traffic slowed down slightly due to the race. But as the cool autumn air settled over the city and Diana looked over the area, she couldn't help but feel a little more worried with every passing second. Fate had a bad habit of making things happen at the most inopportune times, and this would be the most inopportune of all.

There was a light flash in the distance, and a sound quickly followed, like a slight 'zap' in the air. Not like thunder; Diana knew all too well what thunder sounded like. This was something else.

Something that could very well be dangerous.

* * *

"Just great," Hot Shot noted over his comm.-line as he and Blurr slowly edged their way into Indianapolis proper. "Traffic. We never have this on Cybertron; not this bad anyway."

"Be grateful we were able to get here," Blurr replied. "Between the warp unit and the online maps, we're lucky we aren't in an accident or something. And neither of us can really afford the damage."

"I hear you," Hot Shot responded. "Hey Jolt, reading anything up there?"

The red Mini-Con hovered above the Speedway a slight distance away, and quickly noted, "No sign of Decepticon activity yet. But I am picking up six Spark signatures; Mini-Cons."

"Then they're already active," Hot Shot realized. "Let's hope the 'Cons don't show up until we're out of here."

A massive explosion fired off nearby, tearing through a closed shop in a nearby strip mall.

"Spoke too soon," Blurr noted as traffic began to pick up.

* * *

"Yes, most impressive," Megatron noted as he looked upon the damage dealt. "Take note; panic can be a very effective weapon if wielded properly."

"No question about that, boss," Cyclonus noted appreciatively. "Isn't that right, Demolishor?"

"Yeah..." Demolishor noted, somewhat distracted. "Shouldn't we check in with Thrust and Starscream?"

"An excellent point," Megatron noted as Cyclonus took over. He activated his comm.-line and asked, "Thrust, Starscream, status."

"We've picked up the Mini-Cons, Megatron," Starscream reported. "But we've also got two Autobots and another Mini-Con on scanners. I've sent Thrust to deal with them as best he can."

"Excellent," Megatron noted. "I'll be joining him shortly, as a reminder to Optimus Prime about meddling in my plans. Out." He transformed to vehicle mode and declared, "Cyclonus, Demolishor, maintain cover fire," before trundling onwards.

"Oh, this'll be real fun," Cyclonus noted as he readied his guns.

Demolishor grimaced, then readied his guns. He'd fire if more Autobots approached, but not before. Something about attacking the humans just seemed...wrong...

* * *

The explosions were loud and clear from the hotel.

"What is all that?" Carlos asked as he and Rad rushed towards the stairs, which were already flooded with people. "It can't be terrorists or something, can it?"

"No idea," Rad replied as Diana and Alexis came into view. "Miss Masters, what's going on?"

"Transformers," Diana explained, as quietly as possible. "There's a Mini-Con pod nearby, and I'm willing to bet those blasts were caused by Decepticons. We need to get everyone out of here; get as many of the other kids as you can, keep them calm, and get them out as safely as possible. Clear?"

The three young teens gave confirming cries, then quickly went off with Diana, her cell phone already out and dialing up one of the other chaperones. "Dave, you idiot, wake up..."

* * *

"Those blasts are getting closer," Mirage noted as he looked out from the hatch of the Mini-Con pod. "Someone's gotta do something."

"Mirage, quit worrying about it," Swindle called. "It's not our problem."

Mirage's optics narrowed, and he decided, "It is now." He jumped out of the pod, then transformed into his vehicle mode, speeding off as quickly as possible.

Incinerator stepped up to the hatch, and looked towards his comrade. He turned back and said, "Is anyone going after him?"

After a couple short seconds, Dirt Boss stepped up, flicking off a bit of dirt from his arm. Downshift followed, and the three Mini-Cons quickly left the pod.

"Eh," Zapmaster noted as he wrung his hands. "We don't need 'em."

"Poor fools," Swindle noted.

* * *

"To anyone in range, this is Mirage," Mirage quickly signaled off. "To any Mini-Cons or Autobots, requesting combat information and coordinates."

"Mirage?" a familiar voice replied over the radio. "Is that you?"

"Jolt?" Mirage asked in reply. "You're-? Never mind; I've got the rest of the Race Team and Incinerator with me. We need combat status, now."

"Two Decepticons in city limits, a third on the way," Jolt reported. "Two Autobots are also in town, but they need all the support they can get. Transmitting coordinates."

"Coordinates received," Mirage reported. "We're on our way in."

* * *

Meanwhile, Hot Shot and Blurr quickly moved towards the Speedway, the four Mini-Cons quickly approaching them on the ground and Thrust heading towards them from the air.

"We've got them in sight," Hot Shot reported. "Here we...!"

A blast on the ground between them caused the six Transformers to stop in their tracks.

"Not quite enough distance," a voice boomed as a massive, familiar tank rolled into view. "Thrust, finish them off."

"Understood, Megatron," Thrust noted as he took aim.

Hot Shot and Blurr, meanwhile, quickly transformed to robot mode and readied their weapons. "This isn't looking good," Hot Shot was quick to note.

The four racing-themed Mini-Cons reversed, revved up, then surged forward, jumping the distance between them and the two Autobots.

"Then let's even the odds!" Incinerator called out. "Powerlink!"

Incinerator quickly found himself plugged into a slot on Blurr's back. A status indicator quickly lit up in the Autobot warrior's visor as he quickly noted, "It's not bad, but not quite enough."

"No, not enough!" Megatron bellowed as he transformed to robot mode. Leader-1 emerged from a small compartment in his leg, then linked up directly to Megatron's cannon as it flipped into position. "Not nearly enough!"

"Race Team, Powerlinx!" Mirage quickly ordered.

The three Mini-Cons leapt into the air as Megatron's cannon charged up. Parts shifted, changed, and aligned as the three Mini-Cons combined into one large, jet-like shield. As Blurr jumped aside, Megatron fired, and the shield moved into position.

"Hot Shot!" Blurr cried out.

As the flare from the blast subsided, Megatron smirked. Slowly, however, his expression shifted into one of angered astonishment as Hot Shot emerged unscathed, the blast being absorbed by the jet-like shield as it slowly moved back. Almost by instinct, Hot Shot took hold of the shield, and could only give an astonished, "By Primus..."

"The Skyboom Shield!" Megatron bellowed. "Thrust, I want that Autobot taken out! Now!"

Suddenly, Blurr transformed into vehicle mode, Incinerator plugging into a small slot in his back. Wings popped into place, and VTOL engines throbbed to life, helping Blurr to gain altitude. "Not gonna happen!" he declared as he opened fire.

Jolt, meanwhile, quickly zoomed downwards and linked up with his partner. Hot Shot's overhead cannon flipped into place as his visor flipped down. He fired three shots, aiming for Megatron's shoulders and chest. Each blast hit.

* * *

Meanwhile, Swindle and Zapmaster were finally coaxed out of the pod by the sound of jet engines slowing down and the loud clicks and whirrs of a Transformer shifting form. "Speak of the devil," Swindle noted.

"Poor choice of words," Starscream retorted. "Where are the others?"

"They left," Swindle explained. "Should be with the Autobots by now."

"Just as well," Starscream noted. "Quickly, we need to get out of here."

Both Mini-Cons, almost begrudgingly, transformed and linked up with the larger Transformer. Starscream quickly transformed and moved away as fast as possible. "Starscream to Megatron; two Mini-Cons retrieved. Request immediate withdrawal."

* * *

"No!" Megatron bellowed as Hot Shot continued firing from behind the shield, his voice as clear on the radio as in the air. "The Autobots have one of the Core Weapons! I won't let them escape with it!"

"We may not have much choice!" Starscream countered. "We should cut our losses and leave, now!"

Starscream's point was punctuated by Blurr scoring a direct hit against Thrust as the two battled in midair, despite dodging some long-range cover fire.

Megatron growled, then declared, "Decepticons...retreat."

Each of them faded from view, but not before Megatron fired off one more spiteful shot in the distance. He disappeared, and the two Autobots and various remaining Mini-Cons were left standing. As the Skyboom Shield broke apart into its individual components and linked up with Hot Shot, the young Autobot keyed in to base and said, "Hot Shot to base; recovery successful. Need immediate retrieval."

* * *

"Six people are dead and twenty injured in what is called a 'terrorist attack' against the much-delayed United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis," a certain news reporter noted. "The attack came around 9:16 PM yesterday evening, and has resulted in damage to several stores in the Speedway area, as well as damage to the western section of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. School students from Portland, Oregon, on a class field trip to see the race, have emerged unharmed. ABC News will have more inform-"

"Six dead," Optimus Prime noted as the news broadcast cut off. "Two more Mini-Cons in Decepticon hands. And damage to a landmark."

"We knew this would happen eventually, Prime," Scavenger noted. "It doesn't make this easier to take, but we knew it would happen."

Prime sighed, then said, "I know." His optics dimming lightly, he added, "I only wish it had taken a little more time."

* * *

Elsewhere, Starscream looked up towards the Earth, contemplating recent events as it hung in space. Six people were dead; innocents, individuals who had no chance of defending themselves or fighting back. And Megatron was more interested in obtaining one of the Core Weapons than anything else; one of his own troops would have fallen, and he wouldn't have cared. Even the fact that Swindle, his partner from the old days, was now back with him didn't alleviate his feelings of foreboding.

"Starscream?"

The large Decepticon turned and asked, "Yes, Demolishor?"

"Something's...been on my mind," Demolishor noted as he walked up to his superior officer. "The destruction caused back there was needless, unnecessary. It didn't serve a tactical purpose, and we failed in retrieving all of the Mini-Cons. Why did Megatron even do all of that?"

"To him, the humans, just as much anything else, is beneath him," Starscream noted. "Easily crushed beneath his heel. He'll only notice enough to clean up what's left."

Demolishor looked up towards the Earth, and noted, "I almost wish there was another way."

Starscream looked at the smaller Decepticon, and replied, "There is another way." Demolishor turned to him as he continued, "We don't have to go through this chaos and destruction, Demolishor. We don't have to attack the Autobots, or our fellow Decepticons. But as long as Megatron remains a force to be reckoned with, we don't stand much of a chance."

"But...what about...?" Demolishor asked.

"Your loyalty is commendable," Starscream noted. "But one can choose who they are loyal to. I am loyal to Cybertron, and all Transformers. What about you?"

Demolishor's optics glanced towards his own symbol, and up towards the blue-green orb suspended above them. His thoughts danced among the Mini-Cons for a few moments, and he made his decision.

"I'm with you."

* * *

"Wait...you actually did it?" Sparkplug asked. "You stood up to Megatron?"

"It's not that big a deal," Mirage noted.

"Yes, but...it's a surprise hearing about it from you," Sparkplug noted. "You've changed, Mirage. I remember back in the old days, you used to hide from a fight. Now, you're really taking action. What changed that?"

Mirage thought on that for a second, then said, "I had a history lesson."

Sparkplug smiled in understanding, and said, "Must've been an important one."

"You could say that," Mirage replied. "You could say that indeed."

The End


	2. Chapter 1 ReEdit

Changing Lanes

A Transformers: Armada Story

By William Rendfeld

"You're sure you're okay? After what you've been through, it's perfectly alright to…"

"Sparkplug, I appreciate your concern, but Red's given me a clean bill of health." As glad as he was to know that his fellow Mini-Cons were concerned for his welfare, Longarm couldn't help but feel a little annoyed at all the comments concerning his current physical state. What was that human term, "mother henning"? Yeah, that was it. "I'm perfectly fine, and perfectly capable of getting around on my own."

The Mini-Con leader sighed. "Sorry old friend. It's just that after everything we've been through, I can't help but be a little worried."

The medic gave his friend a comforting nudge. "Don't overclock your processors. I'm online and safe, and the same will soon be said for everyone else." As they entered the Mini-Con section aboard the _Ark_, Longarm amended, "Of course, we may have to start worrying about where everyone's going to stay."

Compared to the Mini-Con areas aboard the _Nemesis_, those aboard the _Ark_ were decidedly more comfortable. The numerous recharge alcoves were slightly more spacious, allowing slightly more room, while the common area was arranged to allow for ease of movement, a few computer terminals moved against one wall and status monitors online and actively showing news reports. Thanks in part to the presence of their new human friends, the chamber now had a few assorted creature comforts as well, among them makeshift gaming tables – Rollbar and Refute were already amusing themselves with a game of ping-pong, the latter forced to improvise a paddle thanks to his clamp-like manipulators. In another corner of the room, Liftor and Jolt were busily at work on a pile of parts cobbled together, immediately prompting the attention of their comrades. "And what is this supposed to be?" the medic asked, walking over to see what they were doing.

"A refrigeration unit. At least, it will be once we've finished putting it together." The Mini-Con forklift jerked his head towards a nearby computer terminal. "We found the plans on the human Internet and gathered what we needed from some local salvage yards. Figured the kids would appreciate having something like this for when they visit. Granted, they'll have to bring their own fuel sources, but that shouldn't be a problem."

Longarm examined the "refrigerator" with some mild amusement. "Wouldn't it be easier to ask Diana to buy one?"

"Maybe, but where would we plug it in?" Jolt looked up in mock horror as he finished installing a battery clip. "Speaking of, we haven't seen her or the kids yet. Usually they drop in for a visit every Friday."

"Diana mentioned something about a 'class trip' a while ago, so odds are that's what's going on." Glancing over the in-progress fridge, Sparkplug assured them, "Don't worry, they'll be back to see your handiwork soon enough. Besides, this'll give you a little extra time to get it done."

Liftor brightened. "And we can surprise the kids with it the next time they come by." Delighted by the thought, the two went back to work, hoping that their human friends were enjoying themselves wherever they were.

* * *

The sounds of airplanes landing in the distance were drowned out by the number of people gathered within the hotel lobby, many attempting to check in to their rooms in anticipation of the next day's events. Among them were a number of young middle school students, many jockeying for spots on the various pieces of furniture dotting the lobby and others amusing themselves with portable game systems. The loud screech of a whistle quickly gained their attention, as well a few irritated glares from several nearby travelers that looked a bit frazzled.

"Everyone, listen up!" Glad that the various students had gathered in one corner of the lobby but still making sure she was heard over others present, Diana called out to her numerous charges as loud as she could without straining her voice. "As all of you should be aware, this long and arduous trip is a privilege, not a right. You are to follow the instructions of myself, Mr. Davidson, Mr. Sarracini, Mr. Furman and your chaperones. You are not to leave the hotel for any reason. If there's a medical emergency, inform one of us immediately. If there is any misbehavior of any kind during this trip, the perpetrators will stay here at the hotel and miss the race. Am I clear?"

A chorus of voices rose up, confirming what had been relayed to them.

"Excellent. Now then, all of you had better get settled into your rooms; we've got a long day tomorrow, and you'll all want to be well-rested before the highlight of the trip."

The gathered students broke up into their assigned groups, and slowly made their way through the throngs of people up to their hotel rooms, most taking elevators but a few opting for the stairs all the while chatting excitedly. The students of her seventh grade Social Studies class and three others, coupled with four teachers and eight chaperones, had come all the way by special arrangement with Portland school systems to Indianapolis, Indiana, for the United States Grand Prix, a yearly racing event that attracted hundreds of thousands to the city each year. Originally meant to be held in June, a number of problems including tire failure for teams utilizing Michelin-brand tires and various political squabbles resulted in the race being postponed until the weekend of October 7 so that these problems could be ironed out. While many protested, the city of Indianapolis itself didn't mind the delay – races meant tourism, and tourism was good year-round.

"Man, can you guys believe it?" Rad looked at his two friends eagerly, almost bouncing in his step. "All the way to the racing capitol of the world, just for a field trip!"

"Don't get too excited – stuff like this costs money, and we probably won't be getting another trip like this for a long time." Alexis drew her jacket close, having been warned of the chilly weather in advance by her parents.

"C'mon, Alexis, have a little fun," Carlos chided her. "Besides, it's not like that's worth worrying about. A big trip like this is worth a little sacrifice, right?"

"I'm not saying it isn't." The trio reached one floor of the hotel, the room Rad and Carlos had been assigned to just past a door. "I'm just making sure you two don't get too over-eager about things." Alexis looked about to make sure no one was listening in. "By the way, you didn't bring along any uninvited guests, did you?"

"Do you think we're _loco_? Of course we didn't - we know that's too much of a risk."

A sheepish grin on his face, Rad amended, "Besides, they wouldn't fit in the luggage."

"Or get past airport security."

"And here I thought you wouldn't be discouraged." Diana ascended the stairs behind them, taking them by surprise. "I'm glad cooler heads prevailed. I've been planning this for a while, and the school board took an awful risk in agreeing to all this. If something goes wrong, it'll be my butt on the line." She leaned close and lowered her voice, the three of them leaning closer to listen. "So it's a good thing you didn't bring Grindor or anyone else along – the less that can go wrong, the better." That warning given, she straightened back up. "Now, we'll be heading out for dinner in an hour – I suggest you get to your rooms and get settled in. Trust me, you're going to need the meal and the sleep."

"Sleep? And miss out on free cable?" Rad laughed as he and Carlos departed.

Alexis made an exasperated sound. "Just wait, they're going to be groggy tomorrow."

"The wonderful world of jet lag," Diana mused. "Fortunately, I've arranged for pasta. At the very least, we'll have a good meal."

The two continued up the stairs towards the second floor of the hotel, hopeful that nothing else would indeed come up. Unseen by the two and the assorted throngs of people within the hotel, he waited and watched. He'd been in just the right place to catch their conversation, and was more than curious upon hearing the name 'Grindor'. If it was the same Grindor that he suspected it was, then there was more going on than he was aware of. And as much as he wanted to keep out of sight, Mirage couldn't help but want to sate his natural curiosity.

* * *

Images of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway flashed over the screen, Hot Shot watching with optics wide open. Footage from past races played in several windows, a few showing some of the more spectacular crashes with drivers scrambling their way out of the wrecked cars as safety personnel rushed in. "Do you see that? Two separate tracks on the same course, and look at all the turns for the Grand Prix course!"

A chuckle from his instructor. "Better be careful or you'll start leaking coolant out of your audio emission module."

Blurr studied some of the videos and shook his head as a clip of emergency personnel putting out a car fire played. "I don't see the appeal. I prefer this second course. It's larger, better maneuvered."

"Yeah, but any competent racer could drive around an oval for two hundred laps. It'd take skill and practice to do that many turns on a course." The yellow Autobot turned eager optics to the older mech. One thing that Hot Shot truly enjoyed was racing, having a zeal that almost rivaled those living on Velocitron. He had already found additional famous race courses – permanent and temporary ones – that would challenge the speed and skill of even those that had raced on Velocitron. "I'd love to take a spin on it, at least for one lap."

Scavenger smiled at his student's enthusiasm. "You might get the chance someday. We're going to have official first contact with Earth at some point and with luck, you'll still be online and be able to take a spin around that track." He turned serious as he added, "But right now, we've got other things to worry over. We picked up a beacon from an escape pod in that area briefly before it was cut off. If it appears again, or if the Decepticons decide to crash the party, we're heading in."

* * *

"Starscream, are you still with me?"

The red and white Seeker looked up from studying one of several downloaded bookfiles (detailing on how to prepare human consumables in a scientific yet appealing way) as he and the younger Decepticon walked towards the bridge. "Sorry, Demolishor, I was lost in thought. You were saying?"

"Just saying that I'm surprised you haven't gotten a Mini-Con partner yet. You and Thrust are the only ones who don't have 'em. I'm surprised you haven't gotten the Destruction Team assigned to you, considering how much success you've had."

A small smile. "I appreciate the concern. However, my old partner is still out there, and I'll find him soon enough." Starscream turned sour while tucking away the bookfile into his subspace pocket. "For the time being, however, I'll go it alone. I'd much rather do that than be partnered with Dualor's group. While you're clearly benefiting from working with Wreckage, I wouldn't be nearly so fortunate. I'll wait to find my own partner." Glancing out a window, the Earth rising in the distance, he added, "After all, I don't have that far to look."

The tank followed his gaze and shook his head as his optics landed on the blue planet in the distance. "Still don't quite get why you're so eager to leave them alone. I mean, yeah, you don't want to provoke them, but you really don't want to go on that planet. You aren't organophobic, are you?"

Starscream couldn't help but glance at his subordinate in slight amusement. "I don't fear organic beings, Demolishor, I simply have no eagerness to attack them without cause. Fighting to defend yourself is one thing, but attacking an opponent without provocation isn't something I advocate. That's one point where Megatron and I have differed since the Outsider Wars – I can understand striking back against those who attack Cybertron, but harming those who haven't harmed us is another matter entirely."

Demolishor canted his head in mild confusion. "You're giving an awful lot of credit to them."

A smirk grew on the Seeker's face as they approached the hatch to the command deck. "Only what's due. They know how to survive."

The hatch slid open, and the warlord's voice greeted them as they entered. "Starscream, excellent. The scanners have verified the location of another Mini-Con escape pod near a human city. I've already consulted with Thrust. We're to investigate immediately."

Starscream stopped, more than a little concerned. "Where specifically did the signal originate, Lord Megatron?"

Thrust stepped forward, taking a place beside his commander and tossing a datapad to the larger Seeker. "The pod appears to be located near a human mass transport facility, in the central portion of one of the northern continents. It should be easily accessed."

The red and white jet quickly looked over the coordinates on the datapad and felt as if his fluid lines had suddenly froze. "This is a frequented area. Milord, we need to exercise caution…"

"The time for caution is swiftly passing, Starscream, and if we do not act, the Autobots will beat us to the pod first. So despite your protests or concerns, I feel that this is more than worth a proper examination." The tyrant left his command chair for the orbital jump unit. "Have everyone recharged and loaded. We will be hunting."

* * *

"Yes, Kelly, everything's fine over here," Diana assured her friend over the phone. "Now, you are remembering to keep Abby well-fed, right?" After a brief pause, she rolled her eyes while smiling. "Kelly, she's a cat. They're picky, that's how they work. Just give her some of the wet food instead of the dry; she'll eat it up in a second. Yes, she'll be okay. Just make sure she doesn't get seriously maimed or anything. All right, take care." After setting her phone aside, she sat down while rubbing her eyes, slightly exhausted from the trip. While Diana normally slept on flights to help mitigate the effects of jet lag, she was unable to do so with this trip thanks to the number of students she had to look after. As Indiana was three time zones ahead of Oregon, however, she knew things wouldn't be easy. "At least I don't have to worry about daylight savings time." She slumped onto the bed, her arms stretched out, and took a deep breath.

Just out of the corner of her eye, something caught her attention. An odd distortion in the air, as if something that was there, yet unseen, was briefly moving. Before everything that had happened in the last few weeks, the woman would've thought she was just seeing things, or that she'd had one too many viewings of the _Predator_ films. Now, however, the notion that something invisible was watching her seemed far more likely.

The odd distortion didn't move when she sat back up. If something was there, it was trying its hardest not to be seen. Diana slowly left the bed with her arms raised, hands open and palms forward. "It's alright. If you're there, come into view. I'm not going to hurt you."

After a couple seconds, a relieved voice answered back. "I don't think you can." His active camouflage went offline, and Mirage shimmered into view. He was roughly the same height as the other Mini-Cons, approaching Diana's own, with broad shoulders and sleek, glistening yellow and black armor that made the teacher think of an F-1 racing car. "I'm amazed you could see me."

"Whatever you're using for active camouflage causes distortions in the air around you. I saw something like it in a movie once." She relaxed her arms. "I'm Diana."

"Mirage. My apologies for sneaking in uninvited, but I heard you speaking with three of the children, and my curiosity got the better of me." Still nervous, the yellow Mini-Con asked, "You mentioned the name 'Grindor'. I'm guessing that he's another like me, considering your reaction."

"A Mini-Con, yes." She gave a small smile. "I know all about why your people came here, and I have met others, even a few Autobots."

Mirage turned his head aside, fear clear in his voice. "So they have come. We should've expected it after we woke up. And the Decepticons?"

"A few." The Mini-Con turned away towards the windows leading out to the room's balcony, prompting her to ask, "Where are you going?"

"To find my friends and flee." He glanced over his shoulder, sadness in his optics. "We can't fight them, and if I and my team get caught up in this war, we'll only escalate things. I'd rather not see that happen, especially not here. My group's only option is to run."

Her eyes narrowed, feeling a hint of disbelief at his attitude. "Run where? I've read more about history than I can remember, and heard even more. Running away was never the answer, not once. In the month since you came back online, battles have been fought, people have been put in danger – hell, one of your fellow Mini-Cons was almost killed by another one! You can't run and hide from your problems forever – you have to step up and face them, before things get even worse!"

Mirage remained silent for a moment, as if thinking it over. "What was his name? The Mini-Con who was attacked by another?"

"Longarm. He was attacked by Drill Bit not two weeks ago. He's fine now, but…"

"But that doesn't change what you said." A mournful look crossed the F-1's optics, and he faded out of sight.

As the distorted image of the Mini-Con slipped out onto her room's balcony, Diana wished that she had some method of contacting the Autobots. A thought coming to her, she pulled out her cell phone and hoped that they were monitoring the phones as much as they were monitoring satellites.

* * *

The doors to Straxus' offices in Kaon slid open, causing the Decepticon leader and his two aides to look up and see the new arrival in surprise. "Jetfire! It's good of you to come, but sure you don't need to bring news about the reconstruction efforts in person."

"It's not about that, Straxus." The Autobot second in command cast quick glances at both Tankor and Obsidian. "May we talk privately?"

"Of course." The politician bid his associates to leave, both Decepticons doing so slowly and with small glares directed towards the Autobot. Once the door slid shut behind them and locked, Straxus relaxed a bit. "Now, what's so important that we can't talk over a comm.-channel? You practically demanded a face-to-face meeting with me alone… I'm surprised you had enough patience to use the door."

Jetfire withdrew a small device from inside his subspace storage unit, turning it on with a press of a button. It let out a light whine as he set it on the desk. The anechoicer was something he had borrowed from Bumblebee, used to keep delicate information during briefings confidential. As long as it was active, any listening devices in the immediate area other than their own auditory sensors would be disabled. "I don't want this overheard. And I know about Starscream."

The Decepticon politician's entire demeanor changed, slumping into his chair and weariness growing over his frame. "Ah. How?"

"Optimus managed to get a signal to us from Earth. Starscream met with him and told Prime that he was infiltrating Megatron's organization and trying to get a few converts on our side." He pulled up a chair. "Why didn't you tell us about this?"

Tired optics looked up at the Autobot. "If I had the sense to place spies among Megatron's forces, wouldn't it be a simple thing for him to do likewise? If I had made it known to you or Optimus, it would only be a matter of time before my spies were found out and terminated. I couldn't risk that… especially not with Starscream." He leaned back and admitted, "He'd be much better at this than I am. Sure, I've discouraged more Decepticons from joining Megatron's forces, I've kept the peace, maintained a good economy… but I'm no warrior, no great speaker. I'll be forgotten, but he'll live forever."

The flier couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for Straxus. Politician he may be, but the land-based mech was seen to be much more at ease during council sessions. "How many more are there?"

A sigh. "Four, including Starscream. The others are Skywarp, Thundercracker, and Bludgeon. I've no idea whom they've been able to convert, only that it clearly hasn't been enough."

"And let me guess, no idea about who could be a spy in your ranks." At the politician's shaking head, the Autobot shuttle groaned. "Perfect."

* * *

When one of the communication signals that were being monitored went off, Smokescreen quickly brought it up. "Prime, I've got something, looks like a transmission from a cellular telephone to Diana's home phone." As the Autobot leader approached, the orange mech quirked a ridge after analyzing and finding the call's origin point. "Okay, that's weird, it's her cell phone. Why would she be calling her apartment with her cell?"

"I don't know." His interest growing, Optimus leaned in. "Can you play it?"

A few keystrokes and a pre-recorded message later, and the teacher's familiar voice echoed through the _Ark_'s command center. _:"Hi me – leaving this message as a reminder to check out some _prime_ real estate once I get back. Don't want it vanishing like a _mirage_, want to get it taken care of quickly. It might be near an _airport_, but I can think of worse places to _escape_ to, and I don't want it snatched up _deceptively_.":_

Smokescreen looked up at his commander. "Laying it on a little thick, isn't she?"

Optimus moved to a nearby console and quickly went over the assorted signals they had picked up following the Mini-Con activation. "Easy way to get the message across." Several icons appeared throughout and around North America, a few stray ones in Europe, Asia and Northern Africa. Three blips, representing retrieved pods, switched colors, while he quickly brought up a list of landmarks around Indianapolis. "The children had mentioned they'd be staying at a hotel during their trip and odds are it's close to the airport Diana mentioned. There's only one major airport in the area, Indianapolis International. And she also emphasized the words 'mirage', 'escape' and 'deceptively'."

"Sounds like she's made contact with the Race Team." The orange mech got to his feet. "When do we leave?"

* * *

"Wait a nano, the bulks are already here?" Dirt Boss threw up his arms in vexation after getting over his shock from the news Mirage delivered. "Marvelous! Wonderful! Absolutely stupendous! We may as well just reactivate the homing beacon and get it over with!"

A scoff from Zapmaster, the bulky F-1 Mini-Con crossing his arms. "Get over it, mech. I say, let 'em come. The 'Bots don't want to hurt us, and we can outrace or outfight any 'Con."

The yellow F-1 shook his head. "That's the problem. There's more to this than just us. There are people around here who don't stand a chance if the Decepticons attack. And even if the Autobots show up, there'll still be collateral damage. Wherever we run to, we'll have exactly the same problem. And worse, it isn't just the bulks that we need to worry about."

A third F-1, bulky like Zapmaster but primarily red and black, stepped forward and spoke with a slick voice. "Mirage, buddy, think this over a bit. You heard all this from a human, right? Now, as much as I like them, and you know I do, I know full well you can't totally trust them. Maybe she's right, and maybe she's wrong, but the point is, we have no way of knowing."

"He still has a point, Swindle." His bulky right arm making him stand out all the more, Incinerator looked to the red Mini-Con. "Sooner or later, they're going to find us. We can run from the Decepticons, but not forever. We'll have to do something if they show up." He looked to the last Mini-Con present. "Right?"

Downshift crossed his arms thoughtfully. "Truthfully, I think you both have a point. It's probably a manner of time before they show up, and we will need a plan, but for now, I say we just wait and hope it doesn't happen too soon."

* * *

Night settled quietly over the city as people continued to commute back and forth, the traffic slowed down slightly due to the race. With many thousands more people coming into the city than normal, traffic was more congested, many commuters taking advantage of the trip to see more of the town and catch a bite to eat at a local restaurant or bar. As she watched from the balcony of her hotel room, Diana couldn't help but feel a little more worried with every passing second. Fate had a bad habit of making things happen at the most inopportune times, and this would be the most inopportune of all.

There was a flash of light in the distance towards the northwest, and a sound quickly followed like a soft 'zap' in the air. It wasn't a coming thunderstorm – the teacher knew all too well what that looked and sounded like. This was something else, and no doubt very dangerous.

* * *

"Just great." With a grumble, Hot Shot turned into a congested portion of the expressway leading to Indianapolis International, glad that the orbital jump had allowed them to land in a small park but not glad for what he'd found on arrival. "Traffic. That's the one thing we see a lot less of on Cybertron than we do here on Earth."

Just behind him, Blurr was similarly frustrated and very much missing his old flight-capable alternate mode. "Just be grateful we were able to get here unnoticed. Orbital jumps are hardly subtle, and we're lucky no one seemed to catch our arrival."

Before Hot Shot could further vent, their communications systems came online, Optimus' voice streaming out. _:"Unit One to Unit Two, report in.":_

"Unit One here, Optimus." The young Autobot quickly checked over the downloaded maps. "Blurr and I are currently heading west on the airport expressway, but we're caught in traffic."

_:"Red Alert and I are experiencing much the same – we're heading south on High School Road, and it doesn't look like the traffic is going to break up anytime soon.":_

High above, a small red helicopter flew overhead, unimpeded by the street traffic and flying too low to cause trouble for departing aircraft or be picked up by traffic control. Doubly glad for his small size, Jolt reported, "Traffic is moving, just slowly. Good news is that I'm picking up on six Mini-Con spark signatures – they're towards the eastern edge of the airfield. No offense to the plan, but I'm starting to think we should've just warped onto the airport grounds."

_:"Negative – there was too much risk of us being spotted by a human ground crew.":_ The Autobot medic sounded less than enthusiastic about the news concerning the traffic – why so many people would dedicate so much time and effort towards this sort of spectacle was beyond his reckoning. _:"For now, all we can do is hope that Megatron doesn't arrive until after we've retrieved the Mini-Cons.":_

A large blast fired from the southeast edge of the airport grounds, immediately attracting Jolt's attention. "So much for that idea!"

* * *

Megatron allowed himself a small smile as he surveyed the damage dealt to the airport grounds, a service hangar now collapsed. "Take note – destruction is never without purpose."

"No question about that, boss!" Cyclonus looked upon the carnage gleefully, hoping that he'd be able to do likewise against the Autobots. He glanced at his fellow minion and asked, "You having fun, Demolishor?"

The tank was less than enthusiastic. "Yeah, sure. Shouldn't we check in with Thrust and Starscream?"

"An excellent point." As the berserker helicopter began firing wildly over the airfield, the Decepticon leader activated his comm.-line. "Thrust, Starscream, status."

_:"We've picked up the Mini-Cons, Megatron – however, long-range scanners are picking up Autobots approaching our position. They're pinned down in traffic, however.":_

"Their own fault for not taking on better alternate modes." The tyrant's smile grew all the more darker. "Dispatch Thrust to deal with them – I shall be joining him shortly, as a reminder to Optimus Prime about meddling in my plans. Out. Cyclonus, Demolishor, maintain cover fire!" he called out as he sped towards the northeast in vehicle mode.

"Sure thing, boss!" With a cackle, Cyclonus opened fire once more. "Oh, this'll be real fun!"

Demolishor grimaced before doing as he was told, aiming his weapons but firing where there weren't any buildings. He had no eagerness to fire upon the humans, but if any Autobots approached, it would be a different story.

* * *

The explosions were loud and clear from the hotel, as well the rattling on the windows. Knowing full well that there weren't any explosions in the background of the movie they were watching on cable, Rad and Carlos looked up.

"Where do you think that came from?" Carlos muted the TV as Rad shot to the window, looking out for any sign of fire or smoke. "It can't be terrorists or something, can it?"

"You've got me." A knock on the door, and the young blonde moved to answer. Relieved to see his teacher outside it, Rad quickly opened it. "Miss Masters, what's going on?"

Diana spoke quietly after making sure there was no one else around. "There's a Mini-Con pod nearby – one of them heard you mention Grindor earlier, spoke with me about it. So far as I can tell, that explosion came from the far end of the airport grounds. Right now, we aren't in danger, but that could change really quick. Stay here for now, alright?"

The young preteen gave a confirming nod before closing the door behind him, Diana already dialing the first number for her fellow instructors. "Dave, you hearing those explosions?"

* * *

_:"Confirmed – I've got Megatron on my scanners, heading northeast towards Hot Shot and Blurr's location!":_

A frustrated groan went through Optimus' engines. They were at a clear disadvantage, trapped in traffic, and there was no way to reach the Mini-Cons or Hot Shot and Blurr in time. "Options?"

"Actually, I think I have an idea." As traffic before them started to move, Red Alert's lightbar and sirens went off, prompting those ahead of them to move aside and allow them passage. The medic led the way, his leader charging after him. "Based on the trajectory of their rounds, the attacking Decepticons are based towards the southeast end of the airport grounds – this road should take us directly past them. It won't help Hot Shot or Blurr, but we can at least stop the bombardment."

"Fair enough – just make sure we can get off road easily once we reach them." Switching to his comm.-line, the Autobot leader patched back in to the second team. "Hot Shot, Blurr, watch your scanners – Megatron is heading towards your location! Jolt, keep an optic on him! I don't want any more surprises on this mission!"

* * *

That news did little to help the young Autobots' moods. Aside from killing their mobility, the surrounding traffic would do nothing but create greater collateral damage. Trying his best to remain calm, Blurr scanned over the area for an opening. "Any ideas?"

"Just one, and you aren't going to like it." His engines revving, Hot Shot pushed hard off the ground from his right side, flipping off the highway and onto solid earth. Many drivers honked in surprise, but the one immediately behind the yellow Autobot moved up, allowing Blurr a little more room to repeat the same trick.

The first of the two quickly recovered, then sped along the ground hard, the second following. They soon found themselves on a comparatively empty street, and were able to pick up their pace.

Hot Shot was right – Blurr didn't like it. But the sniper had to admit, it was getting results.

* * *

The explosions were loud and clear within the escape pod, despite its hatch being sealed. Mirage looked up uneasily. "Those blasts are getting closer – if this keeps up, someone's going to get hurt."

"Mirage, quit worrying about it. Like I said earlier, it's not our problem."

The yellow Mini-Con turned to his red look-alike in frustration with narrowed optics. Diana's earlier words rang through his processor, as well the look on her face. "This is happening because of us – that _makes_ it our problem." He then opened the hatch and jumped out, transforming to vehicle mode and speeding off.

Emboldened, Incinerator stepped up to the hatch, turning back for a second to look over the others. "Well, am I going to be the only one to back him up?"

After a couple short seconds, Dirt Boss steeled his resolve, flicking off a bit of dirt from his arm and following the younger Mini-Con out of the pod, the last member of the Race Team following close behind.

The last two Mini-Cons remained, Zapmaster leaning back and crossing his arms defiantly. "Whatever. Let them go to the fight. Me, I'll let the fight come to us."

Swindle shook his head. "I suppose…"

* * *

"To any Autobots or Mini-Cons in range, this is Mirage – I'm requesting combat information and coordinates!"

_:"Mirage? Is that really you?":_

"Jolt? You're–? Never mind – I've got the rest of the Race Team and Incinerator with me! We need combat status, now!"

_:"Two Decepticons in city limits, a third on the way and two more on the edge of the local airport – they're the ones sending off artillery fire! Four Autobots are inbound, two heading for the attacking Decepticons and another two heading towards the position of your pod, but two of the remaining three Decepticons are heading for them now! Transmitting coordinates!":_

"Coordinates received – we're on our way!" His engines revving, the Race Team leader charged over open ground, his teammates and the blue Mini-Con dragster following close behind. They skirted between buildings where they had to, using roads where they could, heading southeast. "Heads up, mechs – I have them in my sights!"

Just as the Mini-Cons had done though with a great deal more difficulty, Hot Shot and Blurr had moved towards their position, glad for the relative cover of darkness and the high number of paved surfaces. Hot Shot almost laughed aloud when he spotted the quartet on his sensors. "I've got them in sight! Here we–!"

A shot to the ground between them, just glancing I-70, caused the six Cybertronians to stop in their tracks. Far southwest of their positions, several cars and trucks being crushed beneath his treads and many humans fleeing from him as he went, Megatron growled. "Not quite enough distance. Thrust, finish them off!"

High above, the small green Seeker locked onto the two Autobots and opened fire. "Understood, Megatron!"

Forced into a corner, both recruits continued driving, hoping that with enough maneuverability they'd avoid fire and with enough distance distract from any human targets. "Megatron on one side, Thrust on another…" Blurr muttered. "No matter how you look at it, the odds just keep getting worse!"

The four racing-themed Mini-Cons reversed, revved up, and then surged forward, jumping the distance between them and the two Autobots and clearing a number of emptied vehicles in the process. "Then let's even them up!" Incinerator called out. "How about a tag team?" The drag racer quickly plugged into a slot on Blurr's trunk, parts of the blue Autobot changing as VTOL engines came online and wings formed, his weapons going active in the process. He took flight, feeling a small rush of excitement and pleasure – he was back in the air. A few bursts from Thrust regained his attention, and a dogfight began.

The Decepticon tyrant, however, was far from amused at the spectacle. "I did not come here to waste my time playing games!" Switching from his tank mode, he flattened several cars in the process while ejecting Leader-1 from his storage compartment. The Mini-Con linked up directly to Megatron's cannon as it flipped into position. "This ends now!"

"Race Team, link up!" Mirage quickly ordered.

The three Mini-Cons jumped into the air as Megatron's cannon charged up. Components changed and realigned as the three Mini-Cons combined into one large, jet-like shield. As Megatron fired, the shield moved into position over Hot Shot as he took hold of the device and braced himself. The shot tore through the air, slamming hard into the shield and creating a blinding flash.

"Hot Shot!" Jolt cried out from a distance, barely able to pick up anything through the interference.

As the flare subsided, Megatron smirked. Slowly, however, his expression shifted into one of angered astonishment as the Autobot and the area around emerged unscathed – the shield had not only absorbed the blast, but had directed the attack towards it, leaving nothing damaged. Shock on his face, Hot Shot stared at the shield as recognition dawned upon him. "It can't be… This is…!"

"The Skyboom Shield!" Determined not to allow the Core Weapon to return to Autobot hands, Megatron bellowed to his subordinate. "Thrust, I want that Autobot taken out! Now!"

As much as he wanted to comply, Thrust was having trouble of his own, his maneuverability only giving him a small edge against Blurr's sharpshooting skills. As the two continued, Jolt buzzed past them and around to Hot Shot, linking up with his partner. Deploying his overhead cannon and flipping his visor flipped down, the yellow Autobot took aim and fired back.

* * *

Meanwhile, the sounds of approaching jet engines prompted Zapmaster to exit the pod, charging out and leaping into the air as blades deployed from his arms. "About time! Take this, Decepti-!" He was caught in midair, and then struggled for a few short moments before recognizing his captor. "Starscream?"

A smirk from the red Seeker was the Mini-Con's answer before he turned his attention to his old partner. "Starscream! By the Allspark, how long has it been? You look great, by the by."

Starscream chuckled. "You never change, do you Swindle?" He knelt and set Zapmaster down. "Where are the others?"

"They left. Hopefully, they've joined up with the Autobots by now." The red Mini-Con scrutinized Starscream, the business-mech side of him flaring to life briefly, as if testing out the details of a deal. "Now, what exactly are you doing here?"

"It's a long story, I'll fill in the details later. Right now, we need to get out of here." Both Mini-Cons nodded before linking up with the Decepticon. The two secured, Starscream took to the skies. "Starscream to Megatron – I've retrieved two Mini-Cons from the escape pod! Request immediate withdrawal!"

* * *

"No!" Megatron bellowed as Hot Shot continued firing from behind the shield, his voice as clear on the radio as in the air. "The Autobots have one of the Core Weapons! I won't let them escape with it!"

_:"We may not have much choice!":_ Starscream countered. _:"We are in a public area, readily visible, and there is an Air Force base within fifty kils of our position! We should cut our losses and leave, now!":_

The Seeker's point was punctuated by Blurr scoring a direct hit against Thrust as the two battled in midair, despite dodging some long-range cover fire. As unhappy as he was to admit it, his second in command had a point. With a growl, the warlord declared, "Decepticons… retreat."

An orbital jump pulled the five Decepticons out, each of them fading from view in seconds. The threat having passed, the Skyboom Shield broke up into its individual components and Hot Shot disconnected from his partner, transforming back to vehicle mode as he did so. Blurr landing and shifting back to his proper vehicle mode nearby, the yellow Autobot radioed in. "Optimus, we've got four of the Mini-Cons from the pod. I'm not picking up on any other signatures."

Frustration was clear in the Autobot leader's voice. _:"Odds are the Decepticons retrieved the remaining two. Prepare for recall to base.":_

* * *

Optimus' disappointment only grew as news reports came in later that evening. _"36 people are injured in what is believed to be a terrorist attack in and near the Indianapolis International Airport. The attack came around 8:16 PM local time, yesterday evening, and has resulted in damage to several hangars at the facility as well as the destruction of numerous vehicles on the interstate approaching the airport. ABC News will have more inform-"_

The monitor was muted as the Autobot leader grew uneasy. "Thirty-six injured. Two more Mini-Cons in Decepticon hands. And untold amounts of damage."

"We're lucky it wasn't any worse." Scavenger placed a comforting hand on his student's shoulder. Just like the Prime to immediately feel guilty when things didn't go as planned and civilians were involved. "It doesn't make this easier to take, but we knew this would happen eventually, Prime."

The red semi's head hung low. "I know. But this is going to have ramifications, old friend. People saw this, and no one is about to forget it."

* * *

Starscream had hoped that it would take far longer for this to happen than it did. One of the Core Weapons, the most powerful devices ever used by Cybertronians, was active again, and in Megatron's efforts to claim it, almost forty humans were injured. He glanced out the window towards Earth, reflecting uneasily upon this bit of news. While their war had been kept small for now, it was clear that the situation was getting worse. At this moment, he couldn't think of anything that would help his mood, other than rub the bridge of his olfactory at the building processor ache.

"Starscream?"

Startled slightly, the Seeker stopped, turning his head. "Yes, Demolishor?"

The land-based Decepticon looked up at his superior uneasily, both trying to find the right words and be careful about how to phrase them at the same time. "What happened, in that last battle… I'm not comfortable with it. I mean, we didn't need to attack the humans, did we? Like you said earlier, they aren't our enemy. Doing what we did isn't something I feel comfortable about. I mean, we could've permanently slagged so many of them." He looked out onto the planet, posture radiating his discomfort. "Was all that really necessary?"

The older mech reflected for a moment, daring to hope. "No, but Megatron doesn't care too much for them. Threat or no, he considers them to be beneath him, easily crushed under his heel. He'll only notice enough to clean up what's left, or use them for target practice. I don't want that, Demolishor."

"I don't either, but as long as Megatron's in command…" He snapped his mouth shut. "What am I saying?"

Starscream looked at the smaller Decepticon, and asked a question that he'd wondered for some time. "You've been with Megatron since before the Second War began, Demolishor. Why did you join him in the first place?"

A shrug. "I'm a soldier, aren't I? We're supposed to follow orders."

Orange optics turned back to the planet. "On that world and hundreds of others, destruction and death have been caused simply by soldiers following orders. I commend your loyalty, but there are some who are never worth following. Look at what has happened since Megatron began his crusade – the Mini-Cons, once as numerous as we larger Cybertronians, now barely exist, their numbers cut drastically. We Decepticons are divided amongst ourselves, distrusted at best by the Autobots, feared and hated at worst. Megatron may be the cause, but we all share in the blame, for allowing this to continue for so long." His optics dimmed. "For allowing so many to die."

Demolishor lowered his head, staring at one hand as if trying to find his answers. "What can I do? I'm just one mech. I don't want it to continue or anything, but… I can't give up my loyalty."

"Then ask yourself where your loyalties lay." Starscream turned to face him, sadness and anger still clear in his optics but also determination. "Are you loyal to Megatron? To the Decepticons? To Cybertron? If Megatron has his way, this world will be in ruins, and the Mini-Cons either wiped from existence or enslaved. I've been online longer than any of the Decepticons on this ship, and I can't stand by and let that happen."

The young tank looked down towards his own symbol before gazing at the blue-green orb suspended before them. He'd gotten to like Blackout and the Land Military Team, and he didn't like the idea of them being destroyed or enslaved. And he saw no reason to kill humans. Who knows, they might have something that could teach him, young their race may be. "I don't think I can let it happen either."

The Seeker gave a small smile after a moment, glancing over to a corner partially obscured by shadows. "Well?"

To Demolishor's surprise, both Blackout and Swindle left their hiding spot. The diminutive anti-aircraft APC tilted his head at his partner. "I believe him."

Starscream's smile widened, and he laid a gentle hand upon the smaller Decepticon's shoulder. Demolishor looked at him and realized aloud, "You've been planning this for a while, haven't you?"

"Long enough to be glad to have all the help I can get." He extended a hand, this time as an offer. "Are you with us, Demolishor?"

A brief moment of hesitation, before closing in his own hand. "I'm in."

* * *

"I can't believe this thing! You made this out of scavenged parts? Are your processors fried?" Barely in the room for a few short nano-kliks, and Dirt Boss had already noticed the refrigerator being built and was going over it at a high pace, poking at whatever he could and testing the various connections, hoses and welds. "Do you have any idea how delicate these things are and how toxic they could be?"

Liftor groaned, fighting the urge to smack Dirt Boss. "I've looked over the specs, Jolt and I made sure to use clean and compatible parts in good condition, and I'm even making sure that it has a safe energy source that won't contaminate their foodstuff. What could I have possibly done wrong?"

Looking over the plans and scanning over the device, the SUV Mini-Con continued going over the data in his head. "I don't know, but I seriously doubt… Huh… You did do your research. Still, I'd…"

"You can double check." Liftor shook his head – several thousand vorns in stasis clearly hadn't changed a thing in the fussy perfectionist.

Watching from nearby, Sparkplug and Mirage couldn't help but laugh. "I never thought I'd be happy to see his mud-encrusted frame again. And I never thought I'd see you step up and fight." The Mini-Con leader looked to his friend in amazement. "You were actually willing to stand up to Megatron."

"It's not that big a deal. I just… needed to open my optics is all." The Diana's words echoed through the Race Team leader's head again. "Still, this isn't going to help. We're active now, and Megatron's going to go after the other teams making up the Core Weapons. It's bad enough our derivatives joined him back then. I'd hate to see what he could do with the real deal. The war's going to get worse."

"Yes, but things always get worse before they get better. And if you do things right, they get better a lot sooner." Sparkplug laid a comforting hand on Mirage's shoulder. "This time, we can make sure of it."

The End


End file.
